title: The association between pregame snacks and exercise intensity, stress, and fatigue in children.
abstract: To investigate the association between pregame snacks varying in macronutrient content and exercise intensity, physiological stress, and fatigue in young soccer players. One hour before a 50-min soccer game, children (n = 79; 9.1 ± 0.8 y) were randomly assigned to consume a raisin-, peanut-butter-, or cereal-based snack. Body mass index, blood glucose, and salivary measures of stress (cortisol and immunoglobulin A-IgA) were measured pre- and post-game. Exercise intensity was measured by accelerometry. Self-administered questionnaires were used to assess diet quality and fatigue. Analysis of covariance was used to examine the relationship between pregame snacks and biochemical outcomes. Postgame glucose and cortisol increased [12.9 ± 21.3 mg/dL (p < .001) and 0.04 ± 0.10 μg/dL (p < .05), respectively] and IgA decreased (-2.3 ± 9.6 μg/mL; p < .001) from pregame values. The pregame snack was not associated with exercise intensity or post-game outcome; however, children consuming the cereal-based (high-sugar and high-glycemic index (GI)) snack exercised more intensely than the 2 lower-GI snack groups (p < .05). Children who consumed the high-sugar, high-GI snack also reported more symptoms of fatigue (p < .05). A high-sugar, high-GI pregame snack was associated with exercise intensity and fatigue but not changes in blood sugar or stress biomarkers following a soccer game in children.
authors.affiliation: Friedman School, Tufts University, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Jennifer M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sacheck
authors.forename: Helen M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: Meghan M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Tamar
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kafka
authors.forename: Jeffrey B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Blumberg
authors.forename: Christina D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Economos
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D004034:Diet Surveys; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D062410:Snacks / Q000502:physiology*; D012916:Soccer / Q000502:physiology*; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers